Coupling device for cars



June l 192.6. 1,587,230 F. W. HENRKSON GOUPLING DEVICE FOR CARS l Filed Nov. 12 19255 2 Sheets-Sheet l z mi,

' Mn QW@ am June .l 1926. 1,587,230

F. w. HENRIKSON COUPLING DEVICE FOR CARS Filed Nov. 12, 1925 2 sheets-'sneerv 2 JZ @j Patented June 1, 1926i.

UNITED Sg'liTES FRANK W. HENRKSON, OF MULBERRY, KANSAS.

COUPLING DEVICE FOR CARS.

Application filed November This invention relates tov coupling devices Jfor railway cars, and more particularly to improved devices ior `automatically projecting the coupling member outwardly from the car body into easy coupling position upon the occurrence of the usual bumping together ot the cars to be coupled.

The invention disclosed herein consists in certain improvements in the construction shown in my prior application filed August 2, 1923, Serial No. 655,297, for projecting the link member ot the coupling mechanism outwardly from the car body on the occurrence of a coupling collision with another car equipped with al cooperating coupling device.

In the construction set forth in this prior pending application, the link is adapted to be slid outwardly centrally from the drawhead by means oi" a plunger projecting` from the bumper, which plunger is located at one side ot the bumper or laterally with respect ot the line ot projection of the link. The disadvantage of such a i location of this plunger resides in the tact that it the two cars to be coupled, contact while on a curve, it the curve bc disposed so that those respective sides oi the bumpers which contact are on the plunger side oi the median line through the plungers, the coupling will be effected, but it the curve be reversely disposed, the plunger will not be struck and the coupler not operated.

One of the objects ot the present invention resides in arranging the coupling vmecha nism and the plunger with respect to the bumper so that the coupler will be operated irrespective of the angle' of contact of the cars. f

Another object of the invention resides in a rearrangement of the link projecting mechanism whereby to provide a more positive operation and al more compact and durable construction.

Still another object ofthe invention resides in an improved arrangement of the safety spring for yieldingly projecting the link outwardly so that in case of contact with another car, when the link is outwardly positioned, the coupling mechanism will not be injured.

rlhese and other objects will be apparent from ay perusal of the accompanying speciiication when taken in connection with the.

accomli al ying drawings, wherein- 12, 1823. Serial No. 674,315.

Figure l is a plan view of one form of my improved two plunger link projecting mech anism shown in coupled position with another car;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the link projecting mechanism withv the casing plate removed;

Fig. 3 is a side view'thereoi' with certain parts in section;

Fig. i is a modiiication of the link projecting plunger construction;

Fig. 5 is a view thereof similar to that shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a view thereof similar to that disclosed in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the railway car l which is shown herein for purposes of illustration as the usual type ot mine car, is provided with the bumper 2 and drawhead The draw bar a' arranged on the upper floor of the car l is recessed as in my construction set 'forth in my prior application, to provide a housing' for the disappearing link 5. rlhis recess i.

suiiiciently wide 'to permit the link o 'tov` freely slide in and out and to be guided by the inner walls of the recessed drawhead as shown in dotted lines 6 in Fig. 1. The walls of the 'drawhead forming this recess areA flared outwardly at the mouth thereot as at 7 to enablethe link to swing laterally to accommodate the coupler to a curvilinear track. rllhe link 5 which slides in this drawhead i is provided at its rear with laterally extending eyes 8 for connection Ato the link operating rod to be described. This eye made ci" suli'icient width to permit lateral play necessary to the proper projection oi" the link, and its lateral swing when coupling around curves. At the front-,tlielink is guided by the usual pin 9 which passes centrally through the bumper 2, drawhead 3 and is positioned centrally in the slot ot the link so that when the link is slid back and forth it forms a central guide cooperating with the sides of the drawhead: which form outside guides.

The link operating rod 10 which connects with the eye 8 of theV link extents downwardly through a slot 11 in the floor oi" the car 1 and then extends rearwardly as a lateral arm l2. A support 13 is'ia-stened to thev under surface of the car iioor as by the bolt 14, l5. To thissupport is pivoted4 f the lever 16 as at 17. l'he long army of the Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

l. A coupler tor mine cars and the like comprising a support, a coupling link shiftably mountedL on said support whereby said link may be withdrawn within the support or projected beyond the support for coupling another car thereto, devices connected to said link and projecting beyond the bumper ot the car when said link'is withdrawn, said devices including yielding means whereby both the projecting devices and the link may be movedinto said support at the same time.

2. A coupler for mine cars and the like comprising a support, a coupling link shittably mounted on said support whereby said link may be withdrawn within the supportJ or projected beyond the support for coupling another car thereto, devices connected to said link and projecting beyond the bumper of the car when said link is withdrawn, said devices including yielding means whereby both the projecting` devices and the link may be moved into said support at the same time, and yielding means tornormally holding said link withdrawn within said support.

3. A coupler for mine cars and the like comprising a support, a link shittably mounted on said support, a lever pivoted on said support, a rod connecting said link and one end of said lever, a swinging arm pivoted to said support, a plunger proj ecting beyond the end of said car and having its inner end pivoted to said swinging arm, a rod connected to the other end Ioi said pivoted lever and passing freely through a hole in the tree end of said swinging arm, means to preventsaid arm slipping ott' said rod, a lug on the opposite end of said rod, a spring coiled on said rod between said lug and the tree end of said swinging arm, and means to force said swinging arm away from. said lever.

4l. A coupler for railway cars comprising a support, alink shiitably mounted thereon, a lever pivoted on said support, means connecting said link to one end of said lever, a swinging arm pivoted to said support, a car operated plunger pivoted to said swinging arm, means to swing said arm outwardly, and means connecting the outer end of said arm to the other end of said lever, said means acting to project said link on operation of said plunger.

5. A coupler for railway cars comprising a support, a llink shiftably mounted thereon, a lever pivoted on said support, means connecting said link to one end or' said lever, a swinging arm pivoted to said support, a car operated plunger pivoted to said swinging arm, means to swing said arm outwardly, and means connecting the outer end of said lever, said means acting to project said link outwardly on operation of said plunger and permitting the ingress of said link when said plunger is held from movement.

V6. A coupler for cars comprising a coupling link mounted thereony and adapted to be projected beyond the bumper thereof, and withdrawn within the bumper, a lever arm carried by the car and devices connecting said lever arm to said link whereby the movements ot said lever arm withdraw or project said link, a plurality of plungers connected to said lever arm substantially at the central longitudinal axis oit the car and projecting vbeyond the bumper on opposite sides of said central longitudinal axis, whereby either plunger, when pushed upon, will operate to project the link, said devices connecting the lever arm to the link including yielding means whereby both the link and the plungers may be simultaneously withdrawn within the bumper.

In testimony whereof, l affix my signature.

FRANK l/V. HENRIKSON. 

